This invention relates to fiber/metal laminate sheets for use in structural applications, and a method for constructing same, and more particularly to an integral splice concept for fastening a plurality of such sheets together in a simple, strong, and durable manner.
Fiber/metal laminates comprising alternating plies of sheet metal (such as aluminum) and fibers are well known and frequently used in the prior art, but have to date been limited in width due to metal rolling limitations for thin sheets. Increased material widths are needed for the increasingly extensive uses planned for these types of laminates particularly in aerospace applications, because they are much lighter in weight than comparable metal structures, yet have favorable strength properties. Conventional joining methods typically add considerable additional hardware to join two or more finished laminate sheets, thus adding weight and complexity which often complicates the geometry of built-up structures.
What is needed, therefore, is a concept for integrally joining two pieces of fiber/metal laminate to create a double (or multiple) width sheet with a minimum of geometric disruption and weight, and a joint strength which equals or exceeds the strength of the surrounding material.